Ren Yaoqi’s original intention in saying this was to comfort Xiao Jingxi, but unexpectedly, after hearing these words, Xiao Jingxi showed no joy on his face.
Just as Ren Yaoqi was wondering what was wrong with this young master today, Xiao Jingxi looked at her with slightly dimmed eyes and said: “I should have been happy that you’re not angry with me, but now I’d rather you were angry.”
When Xiao Jingxi said this, his voice was extremely low, almost like murmuring to himself. If Ren Yaoqi hadn’t been standing very close to him, she might not have heard clearly.
Looking at Xiao Jingxi like this, Ren Yaoqi suddenly realized how he was different from her. Although Xiao Jingxi always gave people the impression of being all-capable, his abilities always made people overlook his age. But when she first met Xiao Jingxi, he was only a fifteen-year-old youth, and even now he was only twenty.
Xiao Jingxi could strategize and plan flawlessly when facing major matters, but when it came to emotional issues, he might not be more mature than ordinary young men who had just reached the age of twenty.
Thinking this way, Ren Yaoqi looked at the dejected Xiao Jingxi before her and couldn’t help feeling somewhat guilty.
“Although I’m not angry with you, but… if I said I dislike Yan Ningshuang, would you think I’m being petty?” Ren Yaoqi said somewhat awkwardly. She had never said such words before, and saying them now in front of Xiao Jingxi inevitably carried the flavor of jealousy. After saying this, her face turned so red it could drip blood. However, the feeling was quite novel—from her previous life to this one, she had never experienced this kind of awkward mood tinged with a young maiden’s sentiment.
But obviously, her words pleased Xiao Jingxi. Just moments ago, he had looked dejected, but now the corners of his lips curved into a pleased arc.
“Are these words true?” Xiao Jingxi lowered his head and asked Ren Yaoqi in a low voice.
The two were already standing close together, and with Xiao Jingxi lowering his head like this, they could feel each other’s breath. Ren Yaoqi instinctively wanted to step back, but after thinking about it, she still lightly bit her lip and stood there without moving, even though Xiao Jingxi’s proximity made her legs tremble slightly.
Ren Yaoqi looked up at Xiao Jingxi’s bright eyes that were like stars in the night, and nodded almost imperceptibly.
The smile on Xiao Jingxi’s face deepened, and the light in his eyes seemed to condense into a whirlpool that could drown someone in his gentle and focused gaze.
He took hold of Ren Yaoqi’s hand. Ren Yaoqi’s gently lowered eyelashes trembled, and seeing that she didn’t pull away, Xiao Jingxi carefully embraced her once again.
Ren Yaoqi was still not accustomed to being so intimate with a man, but this person was Xiao Jingxi, so Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but soften her heart. Only now did she belatedly realize that she couldn’t bear to see him show even the slightest bit of grievance or sadness, whether Xiao Jingxi was truly grieved and sad or just pretending—she didn’t like seeing either.
Ren Yaoqi stood in Xiao Jingxi’s embrace, somewhat dazed.
She even had some wandering thoughts, thinking that perhaps she somewhat understood what Xiao Jinglin had meant by “beauty’s tears, hero’s grave.” She wasn’t a hero, and couldn’t pass the beauty test.
“I love your lack of propriety, I love it extremely,” Xiao Jingxi whispered in Ren Yaoqi’s ear. His low, soft, husky voice was so pleasant that it made one’s face flush and heart race, sending tingling throughout the body.
Xiao Jingxi quietly held Ren Yaoqi like this for a while without any other movements. Ren Yaoqi also obediently remained still, and the atmosphere was so beautiful that it made one reluctant to part.
Finally, it was Ren Yaoqi who moved, her face red as she straightened up from Xiao Jingxi’s embrace. This time, Xiao Jingxi released her.
“Did you look for me because you have other matters?” Ren Yaoqi glanced at Xiao Jingxi and asked softly.
Xiao Jingxi was in a good mood now. He pulled Ren Yaoqi to sit down in the middle of the room and poured her a cup of tea: “I heard you’ve already agreed to Zhu Ruomei’s marriage?”
“Zhu Ruomei is your man. Where would his marriage need my permission? He sought to marry my maid, and I agreed to it,” Ren Yaoqi said with her head lowered.
Hearing this, Xiao Jingxi chuckled and looked at Ren Yaoqi: “Who said his marriage doesn’t need your permission? He is my man, after all.”
The meaning in Xiao Jingxi’s words was quite straightforward. How could Ren Yaoqi not understand? But these words were difficult to respond to or refute.
Xiao Jingxi didn’t want to make things difficult for Ren Yaoqi, though he loved her blushing, shy appearance extremely. “I wanted to discuss with you whether his wedding date could be moved up.”
Only then did Ren Yaoqi look up at him, somewhat surprised: “Move up the wedding date? To when?” Zhu Ruomei’s wedding date had been set by the Zhu family themselves. Now, suddenly wanting to change it, and having Xiao Jingxi come to discuss it with her, naturally surprised Ren Yaoqi.
Xiao Jingxi pondered: “As soon as possible. How about after the Dragon Boat Festival?”
Hearing this, Ren Yaoqi was even more surprised. Today was the second day, and the fifth would be the Dragon Boat Festival—that meant setting Zhu Ruomei’s wedding for just a few days later.
“Why such a rush? Has something happened?” If not for Zhu Ruomei being quite old already, Ren Yaoqi had originally thought that marrying at the end of June would be too early, fearing they wouldn’t have enough time to prepare in just two or three months.
“I want Zhu Ruomei to take a long journey. If his wedding date isn’t moved up, it might have to be postponed. I asked his opinion, and he said he wants to marry earlier,” Xiao Jingxi said.
Ren Yaoqi looked at Xiao Jingxi. His sending Zhu Ruomei on a long journey must be for important business. Ren Yaoqi originally wanted to ask for details, since Xueli was her person, and it wouldn’t be right not to inquire. But she also feared these matters were things she shouldn’t ask about, and asking might put Xiao Jingxi in a difficult position.
Seeing Ren Yaoqi’s expression, Xiao Jingxi naturally understood her thoughts. He smiled and said, “You know that along with the ten young ladies the Empress Dowager selected to come to Yanbei, there are also three court officials, right? On the surface, they came for the Thousand Gold Banquet and the book ‘Yanshan River Maps and Records,’ but that’s not the real reason.”
Hearing this, Ren Yaoqi immediately thought of what she had Yuan Dayong investigate last time. Among those officials, perhaps only Pei Zhiyan had truly come for the “Yanshan River Maps and Records,” while the other two officials were there for the matter of reopening border trade with the Liao people.
Ren Yaoqi nodded: “I had someone investigate last time.” Looking back now, Yuan Dayong’s ability to learn these things must have involved Xiao Jingxi’s guidance.
Xiao Jingxi didn’t have the notion that inner chamber women shouldn’t inquire about outer courtyard affairs. Xiao Jinglin was also a woman, which didn’t prevent Xiao Jingxi from appreciating her in certain aspects. And Ren Yaoqi was about to become his wife—she was also a woman he appreciated, so Xiao Jingxi didn’t mind Ren Yaoqi knowing these things.
“When the new Liao King ascended the throne, he was only fifteen years old, inevitably youthful and impetuous. Since his succession, he has led troops to invade the south every year for several years, but no matter what, he cannot breach Jiajing Pass, greatly diminishing his prestige in Liao. The old Liao King’s last wife, Empress Shunzhen, is the niece of the North Court’s Administrator. Empress Shunzhen has allied with the North Court, wanting to support her young son to replace him. To win over the South Court, the new Liao King married the daughter of the South Court’s Great King. Don’t be fooled by this South Court Great King’s usual silence—when it comes to scheming, few in Liao can match him. This time, the Liao King’s secret envoy to the capital to seek peace with the Great Zhou court was the South Court Great King’s idea,” Xiao Jingxi analyzed Liao’s situation for Ren Yaoqi.
Ren Yaoqi lowered her eyes and thought: “Liao suffered defeat and is actively seeking peace… Are they planning to cede territory or pay silver?”
Unexpectedly, Xiao Jingxi laughed upon hearing this, though the smile didn’t reach his eyes: “Pay silver, but it’s not Liao paying Great Zhou—it’s Great Zhou paying Liao.”
Hearing this, Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but raise her eyebrows: “There’s such a good deal?”
“The court has been recuperating in the southern territories these years and isn’t lacking in silver,” Xiao Jingxi said lightly.
Ren Yaoqi thought carefully and understood—the court didn’t lack silver; what it lacked was control over Yanbei.
The Liao people had suffered defeat at the hands of Yanbei’s army, yet they bypassed Prince Yanbei’s mansion to seek peace with the court. Seeking peace was false; harboring evil intentions was true.
Liao’s South Court and North Court were now acting independently, and it wouldn’t be a short-term matter to determine a victor. With the new Liao King’s greatly diminished prestige, he couldn’t lead troops south to attack cities again in the near term, so the Liao King wanted to use this opportunity to catch his breath and clean house, thus proposing to reopen border trade between the two countries.
No matter how powerful Prince Yanbei’s mansion was, it was still just a vassal prince—the Great Zhou still belonged to the Li family.
The Liao people knew that compared to Liao, which was separated by the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun, Prince Yanbei’s mansion was the fish bone stuck in Great Zhou court’s throat. They couldn’t spit it out or swallow it down, and over time it would fester and suppurate. So even after suffering defeat, the Liao people dared to propose having Great Zhou court pay them tribute and allow the reopening of border markets for trade.
Because if the Liao people ceased hostilities with Yanbei, Prince Yanbei’s mansion’s existence would become awkward. Without war, if Yanbei still wanted to support so many troops, the people would complain, and over time, Prince Yanbei’s mansion would have no choice but to reduce its army. This would make it much simpler and more justified for the Great Zhou court to deal with Prince Yanbei’s mansion.
Thinking this way, Ren Yaoqi broke out in a cold sweat and couldn’t help sighing: “No wonder you said this South Court Great King is deep in scheming—this strategy of killing two birds with one stone is beautifully executed.”
When Prince Yanbei’s mansion was forced into weakness, Liao would have already handled their internal affairs and gradually recovered national strength through reopened border trade. When they sent troops south again, how could the Great Zhou court have any power to resist?
Hearing this, Xiao Jingxi smiled. Every conversation with Ren Yaoqi was his most relaxed time. He didn’t need to guard against her, nor worry that she wouldn’t understand. Often, he only needed to give her a beginning, and she could understand eight or nine parts out of ten. He had rarely seen a women as intelligent as her.
“So Prince Yanbei’s mansion wants to prevent the court’s peace talks with Great Liao?” Ren Yaoqi asked.
Hearing this, Xiao Jingxi didn’t immediately answer. He thought for a moment, then smiled at Ren Yaoqi: “If that were truly the case, wouldn’t you fear we’d become sinners against all of Great Zhou? After all, for ordinary people, avoiding war is always good.” Xiao Jingxi felt quite comfortable including Ren Yaoqi in the category of “we.”